Page:Science vol. 5.djvu/552

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SCIENCE.

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��Id reference to the 1iii|ic>rtaiit>iiatomlcal point eon- Uined in the letter of Dr. U. Baiir to Srlence (No. 118) in regard to the Hbiiia of |-aiidliiii, I Tould like 10 invite yotir correspoiideiit'ii atlenliun lu the cntl- dltlun of the flbiila hi Ihe adult CotymbuB aeplen- trionalii. 1 bave ill my temporary poMe«!il<in a corapleie -kelelitu of an ailultindlvlduii] of this diver, kindly li'iii me by the Sinithwnian Institution (tpee. 13.1148) (iirnhuilKTiiiiriiiiBP. In it the fibula is found, OS I have dinwii the Epecitneii in the aceonipanyine _... '--■' e rigiiHimb, iiKHigh it is seen equally well in both. Tbe fibula lias been drawn in blaclc for ira entire lenclb, so Ibal its exact form and relation to the tibio- tarsus may be properly appreciated. From ihe jiuint a to 6 it an- cbyloaes wiili the eliafl of the iither ieg-bone, though it Bland" out quite prominently from it, leaving no doubt as to ils Identliy. Knowing a" we <iu Ibat Ihe part Indicated in the cut by c represenla one of , the tarsal elementa, it is no more than we should expect lo have a complete fibula ter- minate, a* it doex In this bird, at b; and thli part, in cnm- moii with Pandlon, Is found upon the aiitcro-iateral aapect i-a'her than lu front of the I iliin-uraus. Bs in the Jurassic Aitliucoplrryx.

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��C.N. Mm., Jon

��Tbe claasificatdon and paleontology of the U.S. tertiary depoaita.

Under ibis bead n noie was pubiiglied in Ihe num- ber of June 12 of ibis journal, on Ihe first part of my article, • The geuealoev nnd the age of the apecies in the loulhern old terllaVy,' in the American Journal of science for Jnne. I refer those readers of Science who are interesteil in this matter to llie second part of this article, which will appear In the July number of the same jnumal. Db. Otto Mkvbb.

New B>v(d,Cdiib., Jane le.

��HOW TO REACH THE GRAND CAfiON. Although the Grand Canon of the Colorado was a good while ago made famuiis as to ita lower part by Ivea and Newberi'y, and the upper by I'owell, aad although most inter- esting parts of it are nearly approacbcd by one of Ihe great transeontinenlal railways, yet very

��few people aeem to know how easy it is to f it, — easy, that is. to one who is crossing ub continent by the Atlantic and Pacific i-aijroad. It was almost by accident that we came tc know of this accessibihty, and to take advan- tage of it.

We know not what facilities there may be for reaching the lower end of the canon Irom 'The Needles,' where the road crosses the Rio Colorado: but the Peacb-Spring station, where this road approaches within twenty- three miles of the nver, at its strong soutbem bend, is about sis houre east of 'The Needles,' and on the plateau about Hve thousand feet higher. From this point a rapid and easily traversed descent leads down lo the river, and into as majestic and peculiar cafioD scenery &9 is anywhere to be seen. Unfortunately the trains, both from the east and the west, si present arrive at this little watering -station between two and three o'clock in the morning; and intending visitors will find it well, if not exactly necessary, to notify the station- master or the ' stage proprietor ' iu advance, so as to eecnre lodgings for the remainder of tUc iiigbt. Mr. Farlee, the stage proprietor, into whose hands they will fall, provides three or four comfortable beds; the restaurant of the sta- tion, which supplies the employees of the rail- road, will furnish a tolerable breakfast: and a three-seated wagon, upon the buckboard prin- ciple, drawn by four experienced horses, inakea a really comfortable conveyance. All that the traveller needs to provide is a sun-iimbrclla, — an article which will probably be needed at any season. A quick descent of four thousand feet into a narrow ravine is sure to l>e attended by a corresponding rise in temperature; and atiade during the journey is not abundant.

Dr. Newberry and his exploring party were the first white people to make this trip, in April, 18fi8; and his acconnt of it in Ivea'i re|K>rt upon the Colorado River of the we«  along with the woodcut on p.!l!) and the i nexed plate vi., and plate i. of the geologid part, opposite p. 54, will give a fair idi what ia to be seen. Nothing is cban cept that the Indian trail, over which h mules made their way with much diflScc DOW replaced with a passable wagoo^M Mr. Farlee's making. Very enterpriai hurried people make the trip in a sing especially iu the long days of spring, resume the railroad by the next (daily) \n the journey back and forth being made ii early morning and in the evening hours. indeed, two days should be given to it, i by the transient sight-seer, lodging in i

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